Q & A: Rhoda Ebun – I’d like to be remembered for being consistent, being resilient, having integrity & being purposeful.

Rhoda Ebun is the Lead Fashion & Brand Consultant of Roses & Thorns Fashion Company (RTFCompany); a fashion and style consulting company based in Lagos, Nigeria. She is spontaneous and not afraid to take risks especially when it comes to what she believes in.Rhoda best describes her personality type as “ambivert” (neither extrovert & introvert); ambiverts could go either way, based on the situation. Most importantly, she’s a born again Christian.

We are all a work in progress & we will progress if we work towards it. – Rhoda Ebun

How did you realize styling was something you wanted to take up as a career….Have you always had a passion for fashion and styling?I didn’t actually know I was going to become a fashion stylist. When I was younger, I thought I was going to own a boutique & a hair salon. I also thought I was going to be actress & TV presenter because I loved that too at the time. But whilst I was thinking all of these, I had a knack for putting clothes together in a very visually interesting way. I always buried my head in fashion magazines & took cut outs for inspiration. My friends & family noticed and occasionally, they would ask for fashion advice which I would give without thinking twice. It wasn’t until I had graduated from University & was already in the work force that I bumped into an old friend who knew me & my fashion ways, and she advised me to go to Fashion School to acquire more knowledge to boost my passion. That set the journey to where & what I am now.What is a typical work day like for you?There is no typical work day for me. My job stretches over various expectations. Firstly, I style all the shows on Ebony Life TV; that in itself is no small task as I have to pull large volumes of clothes to suit several personalities & show briefs. Once again, I repeat ‘it’s no small task’. Then I work with a few fashion brands as brand consultant & strategist. I also style some celebrities & individuals alike.

So I find myself on some days, driving for up to 12 hours pulling clothes for the numerous TV shows that I have to style. Other times, I could be in the studio wardrobe putting pieces together or in a designer’s showroom curating designs for a new collection or working on a mood board for a client’s personal style makeover and in a few situations, I could be doing all of the above mentioned in a day. Don’t ask me how I do it, just know that I get home feeling useless to myself. LOL! I also get a lot of short notices for editorials, celebrity styling or even pre-wedding shoots which I just have to factor into my already tight schedule. Once in a while, I have quiet moments which I cherish with my pillow & just diffuse. I do my best to plan because I like to work organised. And sometimes, I just take each day as it comes & try not to overthink situations.What are you passionate about and why?I’m passionate about adding value. I like to see growth and I like to invest in growth as well. Not only in individuals but also in young brands. I believe in creating opportunities for people to establish themselves whether in leading or in serving. I believe in serving humanity & I know I was called to serve. In what capacity, I can’t say for now. But I’m excited to find out.

What is the most important lesson life has taught you?One of the most important lessons I’ve learnt in life is to own your personality. There are too many critics out there who like to judge but strangely don’t like being judged. People wear you down with their opinions of who you should be & you realise that they aren’t perfect either & are most likely trying to find themselves. Too many criticisms can leave one with a low self-esteem. So own your personality but know that there’s always room for improvement. We are all a work in progress & we will progress if we work towards it.Which is your take on “women supporting women”?I think the ‘Women supporting women’ train is building momentum but it also has a long way to go. I think before women can completely support other women, we need to stop seeing one another as competitors in any way because we are all built differently with different capacities & personalities. And when we learn to love ourselves flaws and all, we would learn to love others same way too.What is your favourite Quote?It’s not so much a quote but a line from the bible which I say to myself as often as I can. ‘I can DO ALL things through CHRIST who strengthens me’. I always feel motivated when I say this. I serve a LIMITLESS GOD so I don’t see limits.If you could give advice to your younger self, what would you say to her?If I could give my younger self an advice, it would be ‘BE patient. Time & Chance happens to them all. Trust God’s timing on your life’. I still have to advice my older self on this sometimes.Time travel or Teleportation?Teleportation. It would probably make multi-tasking much easier.For the young women looking to go into your line of business, what would you say to them to help them achieve their dreams?I’d say it’s not enough to have the passion for something, you must always be willing to learn and acquire knowledge. I’d also say don’t waste too much time waiting for an opportunity. Instead, create one.If you could change one thing in the world what would it be?The increased & unnecessary violenceWhat would you like to be remembered for?I’d like to be remembered for being consistent, being resilient, having integrity & being purposeful.Connect with R H O D A E B U N Online viaTwitter/Facebook/LinkedIn/Instagram: @rhodaebunWebsite: www.rosesandthorns.com.ng